Old Rainfords School for Magically Gifted Children - {IC - M}

[Malyka]

Boarding the train

Salisia looks around her, end was surprised a bit how many children there were for this school, she looks to some kids who howled at Mr. Carlisle.

The first meeting with him was when she bites him, and he had told Sedrich abouwd the school, that it was for the best that she will go there to learn more about her werewolf side , at first she didn't want to go to this school but Sedrich, forced her to go to the school

Salisia step’s into the train and tried to vinde a place to sit when she found a spot she sat down and looks out of the window and started ignoring the others around her. When she heard some noise she steps out of the Cabin and look’s towards the sound “This is some shity music” she said and starse ad Thomas who walks away “ Wel oke… let's make it more fun hire” and she walks back into the Cabin

[Higurashi]

---

Another Memory, S̪͉e̤͉̤̭̪̠̊͐̅ͯ̂̋v̺͙̻̟͇̅͝ḕ̫̹̻̫̬̯̟͡nṫ̾̐̉҉̯͕̙eͥ̾̉̚ ̰̦̻͚e̬͈͎ͦ̑͗̒ͤn̨̜ͭ ̤̳̼̥͚͘S̶̙̰̦̬͊ͩu̪̮̯̠̖͎̚͡m̧̳̖͎̰͈̙͕m̶̪̫͍͇̻̉ͦ̏̑e͋r͌̑ͤ̆ ̫̞̱̫͍̬̺̇̾s ̵̩̺̜͔͛ͧ̆̋H̶̪̀̃̆̈e̸̪̱̯͗͋ͨ̎ͤn͚̈̉̽̌ͯͨ̄c̼̺̲̱̱̦ͬͅé̊͐́ͯ ̑̚,̷͍̬͌ͨ̓̄ ͙͉̥̱̤̭̎̊̊̐̒̉͘T̡̯̅ͨ̋̉̈́ͦú̘̩̌̒̏̐́r̴͐n̮̤̩̤ ̷͚̓̇́o̺͈̖̎ͣ̽̾͋͞f̪̟̠͍̏͑ͯ̈́̄̾ͅ ͮ̏͐͋ͨ͝t̢h̫̰̉ͬ̽͐̄ḙ̷͈̱̩̘ͮ̌ͅ ̫͚̻̭̟̳́ͫ͗M̬̳̣̩͖̜ͣͫ͝o̱ͯ̂ͮ͒̄ͣo̴̟̞̹ͭ̍̚̚n͉̱͚̯̓̌ͫͯ̅ ̯͎̲ ̡͇͉͙̯̥̊̑ͯͯ̇̽Å͙̮̩͚̩ͬ̈́ͭ̽̈ͪͅs̀̃̋͋҉̹͖̹c̜͇̃͡è̹̓̉͂̌̔͢n ̲ḓ͕̘̬̗̮̾ͭ́ͩ́à̶̰ń̝̑͆ͭ̓t͌͏̣̙̗̱

Hello. Hello here he comes.

Hail. Hail the merry king.

Hide. Hide from his horns.

Hope. Hope he is happy.

Run. Run for your life.

For you blood is his tithe, and your life his recompense.

Aoife shivered in her shawl, staring out across the moonlight clearing.

Even though it was the middle of summer, the equinox in fact, she felt as cold as ice. The wind blowing through the trees behind her drifted softly across her skin but cut like iron razors all the same. Even the faintest gust shook the ancient oaks like matchsticks in a beggar's trembling fingers. Everything was back-lit with the torrent of moonlight pouring from overhead, not a shadow as far as the eye could see.

It had been madness to come out here, that she was sure of. Her teachers back at Rainfords had called her too curious by half again and she had the creeping suspicion that they'd been right. A few scant words carved into a broken rock, a hint buried in crumbling pages. That was all she'd had to go on. Yet that insatiable desire to know had overcome those barriers and many others besides. It'd been pure luck that she'd gotten to speak to that old widow before she died. Perhaps bad luck. If she'd been a day slower, she might have been forced to give up.

That way, she'd never have to be here. Her hair, hanging to her waist, was caught by a gust of wind and trailed out behind her like a comet's trail. The breeze caressed the now bare back of her neck like a corpse's hand. She flinched and drew the shawl closer around her. She'd come this far. It wasn't time yet. The moon hadn't reached its zenith. If she fled now, she'd probably be safe. But she'd never know. It'd nag at her for the rest of her life.

Thus she stayed rooted to the spot, her hair whipping back and forth in the cutting breeze while the moon sank its fangs into the sky overhead. It was so bright that even the stars had begun to fade out of sight. She'd never seen the world so starkly lit even in the deepest depths of the desert. Every hair on her body, eyebrows and eyelashes all, were standing on end. The world was reduced to this one open circle in the tree's, the moon perfectly silhouetted on the grass.

The wind dropped away. In its absence the pure and utter silence crept into her. Even her heart sounded thunderously loud, crashing and pounding. Barely restrained panic trying to escape from her chest. It was time. There was no more chance to run away. She dropped away her shawl and drew her staff into her hand. It was a long oaken branch, bark stripped away to the beautiful polished wood underneath, set at the top with a single piercing blue stone. But it felt like a twig in her hand just now, about to be snatched away at any moment.

Her bare feet stepped towards the silver circle blazing at the clearing's center. The grass there swayed in a wind not of this world, that did not touch way lay outside. Her hesitant steps ceased just before her toes passed the boundary. She knew that if she went across, there was a high chance that she'd never come back. Not just her body. Her name, her identity, the memories of her in other people's minds. All were at risk of being whisked away forever. But if she did come back... then her name would be remembered forever. Carved into the statue plinths of Rainfords alongside the greatest of headmasters and wizards.

A moment's hesitation was all it took. The wind began to pick up again. When the first breeze reached the circle, her chance would be gone. She would have lost it forever.

She threw herself forward, feet first, into the circle. A foot's length of her hair was still outside of it when the moon began to move again. That shock of red fire flew away as if cut by scissors in the air, carried away on the wind and into the darkness. Aoife looked up into what she'd just ran into.

It has been many seasons since your kind last crossed, little daylily. What price will you pay?

Aoife screamed, but it was carried away on the wind.

[Aki Shinome]

After a few moments of massaging his temples, Yoshi decided to dive back into his Chronomancy book to try and drown out the noise that way. He thumbed through the pages until he found his most favorite/interesting chapter about Temporal Potential. Namely, because it sounded a lot like another new emerging theory in the realm of science called String Theory. Yoshi played with his hand bracelet idly as he read, stopping only to write notes in his pocket notebook. "Maybe I should look into that as well," Yoshi said out of the side of his mouth as he pondered the idea.

He only got a moment to ponder it though, as a familiar voice forced his way into his ears
Crap
It was scolding people and confiscating items
Crap crap
Detentions were flying out left and right
Please no
His door slid open silently and Yoshi was greeted with the familiar site of Mr. Carlisle
Crapbaskets

Yoshi pressed his head into his book and sighed without a sound, every...flipping...time with this man. Yoshi couldn't remember a single instance where Mr. Carlisle did not attempt to make Yoshi socialize when he clearly did not want to. Ironically it was him that Yoshi liked the most out of all his school teachers, his no-nonsense style was appealing to Yoshi. If only he left the purple haired time wizard to his own devices, he'd be perfect.

But today wasn't that day, and Yoshi was too lazy to mount a counter-argument so he wordlessly got up, walked silently past Mr. Carlisle, and into the cabin Nori, Matt and the others were occupying and sat down in the closest available seat. But before he could get a word in about wishing the pair was more discreet, his vision blacked out and he was right in the middle of his dream again. Just as quickly as it came, it left, and anyone who was looking directly at Yoshi could see his eyes ever so subtly flash green. Yoshi cupped his chin with his right hand, the jewels connection to his bracelet tinkling softly as he did and pondered the 'vision'.

[BumblingBee]

As if cued by some knowing almighty higher being, a dozen or so other kids in their same year abruptly gathered and settled in their now somewhat crowded cabin. Nori noticed a prowling Carlisle and quickly determined him to be the cause of their compromised solitude. The slightest trace of a soft small frown ghosted across her lips, but otherwise the girl appeared unaffected by the intrusion.

Mateo on the other hand was slightly more visibly vexed. Well, he was at first anyway. Especially when the Ferret entered the room. Distant sounding words drew the duo out from their growing sulk.

"...Not bad, but there's better singers out there."

Mat and Nori stared at Tanner in complete disbelief. Mateo was almost up on his feet, he was so provoked.

"WHAT"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?"

"SOKO'S THE VOICE OF OUR GENERATION DUDE."

Mateo poked him semi playfully, semi purposefully,

"Expected at least some support from you güey,"

As Mateo began to discuss and explain the musical styling's and genius that was Soko and her work (in rather great detail too), Nori's mind and gaze began to wander. In a practised gesture of overreaction, the girl gripped her left forearm with her right hand. If you hand the right eyes for this sort of thing, you could correctly assume the girl was containing a more magically inclined impulse, or at least preparing for the possibility of one. She hadn't really felt any malicious inclinations that day, but it didn't hurt to be ready, just in case.

Content that nothing was going to turn her, Nori did allow herself to observe her fellow classmates in silent consideration. Ferret was of course allowing for as much room as he possibly could between himself and her, and honestly, Nori couldn't be happier about that. She just couldn't be arsed with him today, too much effort. Yoshi had come in to the cabin as well. Nori narrowed her eyes slightly upon examining him further. He looked kind of... I dunno, out of it.

In what could almost be called concern, Nori called out to Yoshi in a surprisingly genuine manner,

"Kyuuchi? You doin alright over there?"

[ElizabethStark]

Ferit listened to Mateo explain why he believed “Soko” was so great. He wasn’t really convinced this artist deserved such praise and recognition. He let his eyes wander towards Noriko, he didn’t move anything else - simply studying the girl as she grasped her forearm. He wasn’t entirely sure the meaning behind her sudden demeanor but he brushed it to the back of his mind as he wasn’t inclined to worry about her. He looked up when Noriko asked "Kyuuchi" if he was alright… something did seem wrong. However, Ferit wasn’t too concerned at the moment. Instead, he wanted to respond to Mateo’s disgusting admiration for “Soko”.

And with that, he lasted about five minutes before he slipped words that were probably unwanted from his mouth.

“If Soko is the voice of our generation, then I find that a bit unsettling. When you have musicians such as Barış Manço and even groups like Blue Öyster Cult…” Ferit crossed his arms to ponder his statement for a moment, “it’s kind of insulting to think somebody like this Soko musician could have a greater influence.” The only reason why Ferit had even known of Blue Öyster Cult was thanks to Sable. He knew more about his own culture’s songwriters because his mother had a whole collection of cassette tapes of various Turkish musicians. He would listen to them from time to time ever since he was a small child.

He let his arms back down and glanced back at Yoshi, “but, something is wrong? Green seems concerned.” Ferit intertwined his fingers and now would allow for Yoshi to respond to Noriko’s question.

[Malyka]

Salisia looked up to the discussion hearing Soko was great, she looked Ferit when he talks about Blue Öyster Cult a smile appears on her face

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are

She said and turned red not knowing if Ferit heard her, and put bach won of her ear plugs and start to listen to her music.

Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another 40, 000 coming everyday, We can be like they are

[ｒａｂｂｉｔ]

Grey eyes only peered over the top of her book as the shadow of the forest fell away from the car windows; they were nearing campus. The newest Potter book would have to wait to reveal its chambers of secrets. With a reluctant sigh, Cody slipped a placeholder in between the pages and slipped the book inside her bookbag, folding its briefcase-like top over to close it. Straightening, Cody righted herself and stretched a little from her relaxed position in the back seat of the car; her gaze drifted out the window and settled at the looming castle that drew nearer and nearer.

Another year at Rainfords.

Cody pulled her eyes away and bowed her head slightly as she tied and then retied the Liraellian scarlet sash in an intricate, loose cape knot. Leaning over to the other seat, Cody slipped her hand into the pocket of her coat and drew out a little baggie of yogurt kisses, of which she plucked one out and passed it through one of the many holes in the bubble-like dome of Hank’s travelling suite. The pale little hedgehog was quick to catch his favorite treat and munched away. She watched, then carefully lifted the enclosure and slid her coat out from under it. The car was pulling up now and she knew it was still brisk outside; she deftly put on the fluffy, warm, alpaca fur coat without unbuckling herself and pulled her hair out from the collar. Sliding her bag onto her shoulder, she cradled Hank’s little travel suite in the crook of her elbow as the car stopped in front of the dark wood entrance doors of the castle-school.

“Right-o, here we are!” Her driver said cheerily as he opened his door, pulled the lever for the trunk, and went around to get the door for his young passenger. Cody cast him a generic but not impolite little smile and stepped away from the car as he shut the door behind her, Doc Martin ankle-boots crunching on the gravel of the driveway.

Other students bustled up the steps into the school from cars in front of and behind her own, but she waited as the driver unloaded the trunk of her cases. She took a quick inventory then smiled and handed him payment.

“Have another great year, Miss MacKinley! I’ll miss the day I don’t get to drive you, y’know,” he told her and then made a gesture around the perimeter of her luggage, after which the bags seemed to shudder and then disappear. She held her tongue from commenting on how her father couldn't stand the car ride with her, while the wizard standing before her had never minded one bit.

“Drive safely, Mr. Wells,” she bid him goodbye and turned toward her home for the next 40 weeks.

A quick observation of the volume of her peers told her that the train hadn’t yet arrived, which meant she had plenty of time to locate her room and situate Hank before things got too hectic. She set to doing just that. The North wing of the castle held the Liraellian dormitories. The castle was large, but the walk was practiced for the changeling, and it helped that people moved out of her way when they saw her coming, muttered conversations that arose in her wake aside.

Cody found her assigned room easily enough and her luggage situated within. She set Hank’s little suite on her bed and hurriedly began assembling his enclosure. The main structure had been sent ahead and sat on top of the low, wide dresser like it was made for it. She added the recycled paper as substrate in the common areas, sand into his sandbox area, filled the water bottle, situated Hank’s favorite fleece blankets, two running wheels, favorite willow ball, several small pine cones among the spacious enclosure, hung his string of bells, and arranged the spider plant and asparagus fern to drape down over the open second story of the enclosure. Finally, Cody relocated Hank from his travel carrier into the newly decorated space. He was a pampered little guy, and he knew it. She added his food bowl as he ran around and filled it halfway with the cat food he liked best. Watching him explore the space calmed her own nerves for a little bit, but then she knew it was time to go – the introduction ceremony would begin shortly, and attendance was required.

[Higurashi]

Dare was walking the halls of the school, waiting for the other students to arrive.

To be more accurate, he was walking the school grounds vaguely hoping that the other students would never arrive and that the school year would be cancelled due to low attendance.

This wasn't a particularly well thought out idea, nor was it even remotely possible. But then again, sleeping for the entire summer tended to put him on an entirely different perspective from anything that could be called 'logical'.

Water fell out of the sky, and in some cases fell back up into the sky, only to come back down again. That mountain over yonder might be there for ten thousand thousand thousand years and then suddenly BOOM, now it's an inspiration for artists worldwide a millennia after all that nasty business with the people burned and buried alive. People would be born, except sometimes they weren't born alive, and then they'd die, or they'd never live at all. A great unthinking expanse of things happening at every moment of every waking and sleeping moment, interspersed with the tiniest little specks of conscious thought like spilled grains of salt on a tablecloth.

It might just be conceivable, that in the endless depths of cold and uncaring reality there might just be a place place where school might be cancelled, and that just might might be him and then he wouldn't have to be around all these people things creatures and he'd be able to sleep slumber rest forget. He could feel the weight burden pain irritation anger building inside of him like a creeper stalk climbing up his throat. It had been getting worse each year, when he had to return to Rainfords. Each time it lasted longer forever unending a while.

He shook his head to clear his mind. He'd been drifting further and further into a state of half sleep, walking but not their in mind. His course had taken him through the different sections of the school, to a place he wasn't familiar with. A few moments' examination suggested that he was around the Liraellian dorm section. Most of its occupants hadn't arrived yet, but he could hear a few faint murmurs of people speaking, the scrape of luggage and moving furniture. A muffled giggle alerted him to the more critical specifics of his location.

He was in the girl's dorm area. Or at least near to it. The teachers probably wouldn't punish him too hard for just wandering the halls, but one round of lax behavior would make them suspicious. They might decide to keep a closer eye on him, and that would only cause trouble. He'd managed a fairly mark free record, grades non-withstanding, since the incident with Jessica Lawrence. She was also in the Liraellian house, now that he thought of it. That meant he should definitely book it.

He'd turned a corner while heading towards the nearest stair well, and almost ran smack into Cody MacKinley. He only managed to stop because she was far enough back. For a couple of seconds he froze on the spot.

Down in the alchemy greenhouse, several of the more 'lively' plants broke out of their containment cages and started to fight each other. A flock of deaf ravens that made their residence in the bell tower took to the skies, kawing silently. The perfectly manicured grass on the front lawn went through a full season's growth, died, and regrew. A certain hedgehog in the immediate vicinity took a sudden nap, feeling very full of treats. Dare's horns spontaneously burst into a forest of daisies, marigolds, and lilies.

His face also burst into a deep red, reaching down his neck and up his ears, which only deepened when he felt the backwash of energy and noticed the way Cody's alpaca fur coat suited her perfect. He tried to open his mouth, but nothing came out. Only a faint whine akin to an out of breath goat kid passed his lips at length. His eyes then nailed themselves to the floor, examining his hooves.

An almost whispered 'hi' made its way out eventually.

[ｒａｂｂｉｔ]

Cody's eyebrows climbed up her forehead as Dare turned the corner in front of her and froze. She gave a slow little blink as she watched his horns blossom into a bouquet of colorful flowers, canting her head obliviously to most of the other chaos, but she felt the ravens beat their wings through the air like the heartbeat in her chest.

Her eyes darted away briefly, dispersing the questioning looks and rare glare at the faun, and then moved back to him when he spoke; she was almost surprised by the meekness of it.

"Hi," she replied. Cody briefly feared any sudden movement would send Dare away, so slowly, she raised a hand to the flowers on his horns and touched the petals, musing over their various meanings. "Innocence, death, virtue, passion... Are you doing all right?"

"What? So SHE gets to wear a fur coat but you almost KILL Jenny for it? Or whatever?" Apparently, one of the braver Liraellian girls felt the need to interject. Cody lowered her hand from Dare's flowers and it took her a moment to look away from him and focus on the student. Her eyes were wide with a pressed look of warning.

[Higurashi]

There was a subtle shift in the air, like the moment when the shadow of a cloud drew back to reveal the crisping sun.

The flowers twisted and extended towards her outstretched fingers. Buds exploded into a vibrant expanse that was threading into his hair. Vibrant yellows, deep oranges, and fiery reds expanded in profusion. Their scent lay heavily in the air, the confined space of the hall preventing much air flow. The small crowd that had begun to gather and stare at the intruder in their sanctum didn't help anything. Dare wilted under their stares while imperceptibly inching closer to Cody.

He didn't know how to respond to the accusation thrown at him by one of the onlookers. He couldn't speak at all just this moment, but even beyond that it would be difficult to explain. The best comparison he could think of was between cutting someone's throat and giving them a shave. Both might involve a blade, but had entirely different contexts.

He didn't object to the wearing of animal based products, or even eating animal flesh in certain contexts. But there was an inherent difference in doing what came naturally and what humans did for 'fashion'. Wolves didn't mount the heads of sheep in their dens as trophies. They didn't wear the skins of rabbits on their paws. For sheep and an alpaca, the production and harvest of wool was an entirely natural process. There were several types of sheep that would be significantly inconvenienced and uncomfortable if they weren't shorn at appropriate times of the year.

Admittedly humans had bred them to be that way, but now it was as natural to them as breathing. Did humans care what happened to their toenail clippings? It might be a bit strange if another creature started collecting them for some purpose, but the clipping of nails made humans daily lives more comfortable. Where was the harm if something else benefited from that?

Without warning Dare reached out and touched Cody's hand. A shock of sensation that might run up her hand and arm. A feeling in the pit of her gut, that went beyond words. Not a metaphor, but the spirit of a memory. A juxtaposition, between one and the other. The warmth, uncomfortable and scratchy, heavy on her back and shoulders, blocking her eyesight. Removed, bit by bit. The comfort of warm but rough hands holding her steady, speaking quiet words to keep her still. The freedom of being let loose at last, able to see and run free.

The other. The terror, blind unspeaking panic. The confusion. Far away from the den. Chased relentlessly by biting howling terrors. The sheer utter mind numbing exhaustion. The earth quaking beneath as massive shambling horrors descended. The sickening stench of metal and oil, glinting in the afternoon sun. The piercing pain running up her leg as something sharp cuts into her foot. The rain of blows and overwhelming stink of fear. Looking up into the barrel of a gun, the deafening roar. The briefest flash of pain, burning and sharp. Then only the dark cold silence. Kits unfed, left behind. Mate hidden away in some dirt hole. All slipping away. Then nothing.

Dare's eyes were somewhere far far away, living it more intensely than even what she might have felt. Then he snapped back to it. The flowers had wilted away, dried petals drifting down to the floor. He glanced around himself as if uncertain where he was. Spotting a gap in the circle of girls, he darted between them. The scent of old flowers remained in the air even as he attempted to scamper away. Moss had grown out from between every brick in that section of hall. The quiet hint of buzzing bee's faded away into silence.

Dare glanced back at Cody for just a second, eyes afraid that he'd have made her disgusted at him.